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[TCML] New coil setup; Comments/Suggestions?
Hey everyone, I know it's been a long time since I last posted on the forum, but I'm sure a few of you remember me. You know the one with tons of questions! Just to catch up some of the people who don't know me... I started coiling about a year ago, and was determined to build a very nice Tesla coil. Can't remember exactly how I found out about Nikola Tesla, but after reading up on him, and his invetions, I was very impressed. Sad how I never once heard of such a great inventor, and scientist throughout all of my schooling. To say the least, I became addicted to learning about Nikola Tesla, and his dual air core resonant transformer. After months of study it became clear to myself that I had to construct a coil of my own.
A few months of purchasing supplies through ebay, and local hardware stores I had finally finished my first coil. Not the best looking setup at all, but it was slightly rushed in my anticipation to see electrical streamers... After obtaining the most out of my setup, which was around one foot streamers. I decide it was time to tear down the throw together contraption I had made. Mainly due to several flaws in my design, and a very poor looking primary coil. Upon doing so I immediately began to build a new portable base unit to house all of the components. About $50 dollars in oak wood from Home Depot, and I had a very nice base unit. Completed with a light satin stain. This lead me to decide on designing a new primary coil first. I'm sure as all coilers know this is almost always the hardest, and most time consuming part! Sadly this made me loose interest in the new design for many months... Not to mention being very busy with work, and college.
Alright, so now for the good information! The new primary is a flat coil made with around sixty feet of 1/4" copper tubing. This made for a total of fifteen coil turns, using 8mm spacing between each turn. Primary insulators are eight, foot and a half long, PVC tubes. I offset each separate insulator by 1mm to obtain the first coil turns 8mm separation. That way I was able place each insulator at my determined spacing in the center of the portable unit. My secondary coil is the same one from previous setup. It is a thin wall PVC tube 4.25"x22.25", and was wound with 26 AWG enamel coated magnet wire. Coated in numerous layers of clear high gloss poly. After trying my previous toriodal topload, it was decided there were to many sharp edges, thus preventing maximum streamer lengths. Now in use is an 8" spherical topload. Originally it was just a styrofoam sphere, which I then covered in alluminum tape. Works out a lot better! I believe the last major thing I need to finish this!
very professional coil setup is a large diameter spherical or toriodal alluminum spun topload. Hoping that one of you coilers out there can offer me what I need for a really good deal. Definitely would appreciate it! As of now, I have about $400 dollars, or more, into this entire project.
Capacitors are the CD .15mfd 2kv DC. Total of twelve caps mounted, with an additional tap at cap eleven. Tank circuit consists of 3 AWG multistrand and insulated wire. Spark gap consists of five 1" copper couplings. Thinking this might be another area of improvement. Should probably be able to open up the gap spacing some more without any problems, and I would like to setup a quenching mechanism. Most likely will be through air flow, but I'm open to any other suggestions. Setup includes a fully built Terry filter. High voltage transformer is 9kv 30ma NST. For additional protection to the mains line it was decided to construct a separate unit that would be placed further away from the coil. This unit was made up from spare wood, a 2x10amp RFI filter, single pole switch, 3 amp fast burn fuse, and led power indicator light. Ground is a 24"x1/2" copper pole.
The new coil is currently capable of just about two foot streamer output. My goal is to break the maximum streamer length determined by the power level of my high voltage transformer. I believe this is 28", as listed on Tesla Map. Obviously there is something at loss here. I'm assuming it's both the tuning, and spark gap. Thinking the Terry filter is also cutting back on performance some, but I would rather leave this in place to protect the transformer. Although tuning currently seems to be dead on. A better method of obtaining perfect tuning is needed. Observations by sight only can be difficult!
Well everyone, I think that about covers it. Comments, and suggestions of the new setup would be great! I'm going to include a link to both my website, and my forums high voltage thread. Please take the time to review the article I wrote for building a spark gap tesla coil. It is not yet complete, but I will be finishing it up here soon. Again, my time is very limited. The article is under the information section on my website, and the forum link is my thread for both Jacobs Ladder, and Tesla Coil. This includes photographs of my entire high voltage project. If interested please take the time to register for my forum, and post anything you would like.
Website:
http://internetdatabasewebsite.110mb.com/
Forum:
http://idw.30.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=16
I have decided to include several photographs for those who would rather not visit my forum. Links below;
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000987ra4.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1001000ep6.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1001016cu9.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1001021cv2.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1001029xa7.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1001046hu0.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1001050bc9.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10010300ed6.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc0978ni5.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc0986vt5.jpg
Hope to hear from everyone,
Matt G.
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